Joist hangers

ABSTRACT

A connection between a beam and a joist by a sheet metal joist hanger employs a joist hanger comprising a pair of mutually spaced parallel side walls receiving the joist between them, a seat portion extending beneath the joist between lower ends of the side walls, a pair of co-planar rear flanges integral with the side walls and extending in opposite directions from the rear edges of the side walls at right angles to the side walls, a pair of top flanges integral with the rear flanges and projecting rearwardly from upper edges of the rear flanges, metal projections extending rearwardly from the rear flanges adjacent the first fastener openings and penetrating the beam, the metal projections being formed by punching metal from the rear flanges to form the fastener openings, with fasteners extending through the fastener openings into the beam. Further metal projections formed by punching metal from the top flanges to form the further fastener openings extend downwardly from the top flanges and penetrate the beam and further fasteners extend through these further fastener openings into the beam.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] 1. Field of the Invention

[0002] The present invention relates to sheet metal joist hangers for building components and, more particularly, to connections formed between first and second wooden building components by sheet metal joist hangers.

[0003] 2. Description of the Related Art

[0004] A conventional joist hanger, of sheet metal, has spaced parallel side walls, a seat portion extending between lower ends of the side walls, a pair of coplanar rear flanges extending in opposite directions from the side walls, at right angles to the side walls, and top flanges projecting rearwardly from the rear flanges.

[0005] In use, this conventional joist hanger is employed to suspend a joist from a beam with the joist received between the side walls of the joist hanger, and seated on the seat portion. Nails are driven through nail holes in the side walls into the joist and through nail holes in the rear walls and the top flanges into the beam, in order to thereby connect the joist to the beam.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INTENTION

[0006] It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved joist hanger which more securely attaches to the beam and can more easily be held in place until nails are applied to secure it to the beam.

[0007] According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a combination of a sheet metal joist hanger and a pair of wooden building components, the hanger comprising a pair of mutually spaced parallel side walls receiving the first wooden building component therebetween, a seat portion extending beneath the first wooden building component between lower ends of the side walls, a pair of co-planar rear flanges integral with the side walls and extending in opposite directions from rear edges of the side walls at right angles to the side walls, the rear flanges having upper edges, a pair of top flanges integral with the rear flanges and projecting rearwardly from the upper edges of the rear flanges, metal projections extending rearwardly from the rear flanges adjacent fastener openings in the rear flanges and penetrating the second wooden building component, the metal projections being formed by punching metal from the rear flanges to form the fastener openings, and fasteners extending through the fastener openings into the second wooden building component.

[0008] It has been found that the provision of these metal projections, which become embedded in the wood of the second building component by the hammering of the nails through the fastener openings, substantially increases the strength of the connection between the rear flanges of the hanger and the second wooden building component.

[0009] In a preferred embodiment of the invention the metal projections are serrated and surround the fastener openings, which may be circular or polygonal in shape.

[0010] According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a combination, of first and second wooden building components and a sheet metal hanger connecting the first and second components to one another, the joist hanger comprising a pair of mutually spaced parallel side walls receiving the first component therebetween, a seat portion extending beneath the first component between the lower ends of the side walls, a pair of co-planar rear flanges integral with the side walls and extending in opposite directions from the rear edges of respective ones of the side walls at right angles to the side walls, a pair of top flanges integral with the rear flanges and projecting rearwardly from upper edges of the rear flanges and penetrating the second wooden building component, fastener openings in the top flanges, the fastener openings being formed by punching metal from the top flanges to form metal projections extending downwardly from the top flanges, and fasteners extending through the fastener openings into the second wooden building component.

[0011] The metal projections produce an improved connection between the top flanges and the second wooden building component, and the strength of this connection can be still further increased by forming the fastener openings as triangular holes and thus by forming the metal projections as triangular prongs.

[0012] Also, it is advantageous to form the prongs as concave prongs extending from correspondingly concave sides of the nail holes. The area of contact between the nails and the edges of the fastener openings is thereby increased.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0013] The present invention will be more readily understood from the following description of the preferred embodiments thereof given, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0014]FIG. 1 shows an isometric view of a joist hanger and an associated beam;

[0015]FIG. 2 shows an isometric view of the hanger and beam during nailing of the hanger to the beam;

[0016]FIG. 3 shows a view taken in vertical cross-section between parts of the beam and the hanger of FIG. 2;

[0017]FIG. 4 shows an isometric view of a portion of a rear flange of the hanger of FIGS. 1 through 3;

[0018]FIG. 5 shows an isometric view of the beam and hanger of FIGS. 1 through 4, with a joist, during the nailing of a rear flange of the hanger to the beam;

[0019]FIGS. 6, 7 and 8 show broken-away views, in cross-section, through fasteners and their openings in the hanger; and

[0020]FIG. 9 shows a view in front elevation of a modified joist hanger.

[0021] In FIG. 1 of the accompanying drawings, reference numeral 10 indicates generally a joist hanger and reference numeral 12 indicates generally a beam to which the joist hanger 10 is to be attached.

[0022] The joist hanger 10 has a pair of parallel, mutually spaced side walls 14, a pair of rear flanges 16 extending in opposite directions from one another from rear edges of the side walls 14, the rear walls 16 being integral with the side walls 14 and coplanar with one another and extending at right angles to the side walls 14.

[0023] A horizontal seat portion 18 extends between and connects the lower ends of the side walls 14.

[0024] Top flanges 20 project horizontally rearwardly from the tops of the rear flanges 16. Each top flange 20 is formed with two fastener openings 30 (FIG. 2) serving as nail holes. The fastener openings 30 are each of triangular shape and are formed by punching out the metal of the top flanges 20 to form downwardly projecting triangular prongs 32 (see FIG. 3).

[0025] When the top flanges 20 are placed on the top of the beam 12 and hammered nails, one of which is indicated by reference numeral 34 in FIG. 2, are hammered through the fastener openings into the top of the beam 12, the prongs 32 are driven into the wood of the beam 12, as illustrated in FIG. 3, and thereby supplement nails driven through the flanges 16, as described below, so as to increase the strength of the connection between the joist hanger 10 and the beam 12. The joist hanger 10 then serves to support a joist in the form of an I-beam 35 from the beam 12. In the present embodiment of the invention, no nails are driven through the flanges 14 into the joist 35, which is secured to the joist hanger 10 by glue (not shown), but alternatively nails may be used for this purpose within the scope of the present invention.

[0026] As shown in FIG. 5 of the accompanying drawings, the rear flanges 16 of the joist hanger 10 are formed with fastener openings 36.

[0027] One of these fastener openings 36 is shown in greater detail in FIG. 4, and is formed as a nail hole by punching out metal from the respective rear flange 16 so as to form an annular, serrated, rearwardly extending metal projection 38 which extends around the periphery of the respective fastener opening 36. When nails, one of which is indicated by reference numeral 40 in FIGS. 1 and 5, are driven through the fastener openings 36 into the beam 12, in the manner illustrated in FIG. 5, the metal projections 38 become embedded in the wood of the beam 12, as shown in FIG. 6, in which D indicates the depth of penetration of one of the metal projections into the beam 12.

[0028]FIG. 7 shows the nail 40 embedded in the beam and, also, shows the metal projection 38 of a nearby fastener opening 36, which has also thereby become embedded in the beam 12.

[0029] It is to be understood that the present invention is not restricted to the use of nails as fasteners, but that screws, one of which is indicated by reference numeral 42 in FIG. 8, may alternatively be employed.

[0030] Also, while the fastener openings 36 of FIGS. 3, 4 and 5 are circular, the present invention is not limited to this shape and the fastener openings 36 may alternatively be all replaced by polygonal openings. Thus, for example, FIG. 9 shows a modified joist hanger, indicated generally by reference numeral 110, which has rear flanges 116 formed with fastener openings 136 which are of generally triangular shape. In each case, however, a serrated metal projection extends rearwardly from the fastener opening for penetration into the beam 12, as described above. 

I claim:
 1. In combination, first and second wooden building components and a sheet metal joist hanger connecting said first and second components to one another; said joist hanger comprising a pair of mutually spaced parallel side walls receiving said first component therebetween, said side walls having upper and lower ends and front and rear edges; a seat portion extending beneath said first wooden building component between said lower ends of said side walls; a pair of co-planar rear flanges integral with said side walls and extending in opposite directions from said rear edges of respective ones of said side walls at right angles to said side walls; said rear flanges having upper edges; a pair of top flanges integral with said rear flanges and projecting rearwardly from said upper edges of said rear flanges; a plurality of fastener openings in said rear flanges; metal projections extending rearwardly from said rear flanges adjacent said fastener openings and penetrating said second wooden building component, said metal projections being formed by punching metal from said rear flanges to form said fastener openings; and fasteners extending through said fastener openings into said second wooden building component.
 2. A combination as claimed in claim 1, wherein said metal projections extend around the peripheries of said fastener openings.
 3. A combination as claimed in claim 1, wherein said metal projections are serrated.
 4. A combination as claimed in claim 2, wherein said metal projections are serrated.
 5. A combination as claimed in claim 1, wherein said fastener openings are circular.
 6. A combination as claimed in claim 1, wherein said fastener openings are polygonal.
 7. In combination, first and second wooden building components and a sheet metal hanger connecting said first and second components to one another; said hanger comprising a pair of mutually spaced parallel side walls receiving said first component therebetween, said side walls having upper and lower ends and front and rear edges; a seat portion extending beneath said first component between said lower ends of said side walls; a pair of co-planar rear flanges integral with said side walls and extending in opposite directions from said rear edges of respective ones of said side walls at right angles to said side walls; said rear flanges having upper edges; a pair of top flanges-integral with said rear flanges and projecting rearwardly from said upper edges of said rear flanges; fastener openings in said top flanges; metal projections formed by punching metal from said top flanges to form said fastener openings, said metal projections extending downwardly from said top flanges and penetrating said second wooden building component; and fasteners extending through said fastener openings into said second wooden building component.
 8. A combination as claimed in claim 7, wherein said fastener openings are triangular and said metal projections are triangular prongs.
 9. A combination as claimed in claim 8, wherein said prongs extend from concavely curved sides of said fastener openings.
 10. In combination, first and second wooden building components and a sheet metal joist hanger connecting said first and second components to one another; said joist hanger comprising a pair of mutually spaced parallel side walls receiving said first component therebetween, said side walls having upper and lower ends and front and rear edges; a seat portion extending beneath said first wooden building component between said lower ends of said side walls; a pair of co-planar rear flanges integral with said side walls and extending in opposite directions from said rear edges of respective ones of said side walls at right angles to said side walls; said rear flanges having upper edges; a pair of top flanges integral with said rear flanges and projecting rearwardly from said upper edges of said rear flanges; a plurality of first fastener openings in said rear flanges; first metal projections extending rearwardly from said rear flanges adjacent said first fastener openings and penetrating said second wooden building component, said first metal projections being formed by punching metal from said rear flanges to form said first fastener openings; first fasteners extending through said first fastener openings into said second wooden building component; second fastener openings in said top flanges; second metal projections formed by punching metal from said top flanges to form said second fastener openings, said second metal projections extending downwardly from said top flanges and penetrating said second wooden building component; and second fasteners extending through said fastener openings into said second wooden building component.
 11. A combination as claimed in claim 10, wherein said first metal projections extend around the peripheries of said first fastener openings.
 12. A combination as claimed in claim 10, wherein said first metal projections are serrated.
 13. A combination as claimed in claim 11, wherein said first metal projections are serrated.
 14. A combination as claimed in claim 10, wherein said first fastener openings are circular.
 15. A combination as claimed in claim 10, wherein said first fastener openings are polygonal.
 16. A combination as claimed in claim 10, wherein said second fastener openings are triangular and said second metal projections are triangular prongs.
 17. A combination as claimed in claim 8, wherein said prongs extend from concavely curved sides of said second fastener openings. 